Commercial Goat Cheeses Show No Differences in Postprandial Satiety During Caloric Restriction: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial
Diana A. Vela-Vásquez, Ivan Delgado-Enciso, Aram Y. Rubio-Reyes, Estela Garza-Brenner, Claudia P. Beltrán-Altamirano, Ana M. Sifuentes-RincónBackground/Objectives: Satiety and appetite control are key strategies for successful weight loss. Goat dairy may increase satiety, highlighting its potential role in weight control and metabolic health. This study evaluated satiety, changes in acylated ghrelin concentrations, and anthropometric outcomes in volunteers following a calorie-deficit diet that included goat cheese with different fat contents. Methods: In this randomized controlled clinical trial, volunteers consumed a breakfast containing 80 g of two commercial cheeses differing mainly in their fat content. Satiety perception was assessed using a Visual Analogue Scale at baseline (T0), 30 (T30), and 120 (T120) minutes after breakfast. Acylated ghrelin levels were measured by ELISA at baseline and at the end of the intervention at T0 and T30. Results: A reduction in goat cheese fat content (25.9%) did not modify the induction or maintenance of post-meal satiety during energy restriction. Both groups experienced reductions in body weight and anthropometric measurements, with no significant differences between groups. The anthropometric response was predominantly attributable to the energy-restricted intervention and was not significantly modified by the fat content of the assigned goat cheese. Across the intervention, sustained satiety increased modestly over time. Each additional week was associated with an estimated 0.164-point increase in ΔCSI0–120 (β = 0.164; 95% CI: 0.058–0.270; p = 0.003), similarly in both groups. Complementary analyses confirmed comparable cumulative post-meal satiety responses. Conclusions: Sustained satiety improved progressively regardless of goat cheese fat content. However, low-fat cheese may offer a practical benefit for meal planning, providing fewer calories while offering the same filling effect as high-fat cheese.